Can washing apparatus



June 1939' P. w. COFFING 'CAN WASHING APPARATUS Original Filed April 16, 1936 r &4

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 6, 1939 CAN WASHING APPARATUS Fredrick W. Coffing, Danville, Ill.

Original application April 16, 1936, Serial No. 74,636. Divided and this application May 17, 1937, Serial No. 142,955

2 Claims. (Cl. 122-41) This invention relates toa washing and sterilizing device particularly applicable for creamery and dairy use.

This application is a division of the prior application, Serial No. 74,636 filed April 16, 1936, entitled, Cream and milk can washing apparatus.

One object of the invention is to provide a device which has all the advantages of prior art devices and which is more economical to construct.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the aforesaid character with a measuring control, whereby the amount of water supplied to a flash boiler for the formation of steam is of constant volume.

One feature of the invention consists in the arrangement of the parts whereby the economical use of the heat is obtained.

Another feature of the invention consists in the measuring valve and its operative connection to the flash boiler as well as its manual control.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing and the following description and claims:

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a cream can washer and sterilizer embodying the invention, parts being broken away to show other parts in detail.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken in the plane of the boiler supply control valve, the heating device being shown in elevation.

In the drawing, It indicates the rectangular frame of angle iron and N indicates four angle iron legs suitably secured thereto. Said legs below the angle iron frame-work II! are suitably 1 connected together as by the angle irons l2 and I3.

Mounted in the frame-work is a semi-cylindrical trough structure l4 which has soldered therein or otherwise suitably secured thereto, a semi-circular partition I5 intermediate the ends H5 and IT, forming a can washing compartment 18, and the clean hot water compartment l9.

Suitably surrounding the two compartments and depending therefrom, as shown clearly in 0 Figs. 1 and 2, are the plate or shield portions 20,

Such commimication is of rigid character and is suitably packed or gasketed to prevent leakage from the boiler and leakage from compartment IS.

The conduit has a threaded connection with 5 the valve body and the lower flange of the valve cooperates with the packing structure to secure the entire arrangement in leakproof relation.

The valve body-see Fig. 2-is chambered as at 21 and herein a frusto-conical valve member 28 is mounted in said chamber and has a portion 29 projecting therefrom which is suitably connected by a universal joint, or the like, 30 to an actuating rod 3! which has an angular extension 32 and a return bend formation 33. The valvemember 28 includes a chamber 34 and includes a port 35 communicating therewith and which is adapted to alternately register with the passage 31 in the valve body 26 and which is in free communication with the compartment l9, and to register with the passage 38 in free communication with the upper portion of conduit 25 that is in free communication with the boiler 22.

The numeral 39 indicates generally a standard form of heating device which is positioned directly beneath the flash boiler 22 and the heat from the former heats the lower surface of the latter and all the other surfaces, and then passes upwardly along the bottom and sides of the two cylindrical compartments, being retained between said bottom and sides and the shields 20, before mentioned. Thus, after the heat is utilized for boiler heating purposes, the heat is utilized to heat the water in thecompartment I9 which is the clear water supply, and the water in the compartment #8, which is the supply for can washing.

When the handle 32-33 is turned approximately from the position shown in Fig. 2, then the water which previously has flowed into the valve chamber 34, is discharged into the flash boiler and the remaining water in compartment I3 is cut off from flowing into the boiler and the steam cannot discharge to compartment IS. The valve chamber 3% when positioned as shown in Fig. 2, thus will'always be full as long as there is water tothe level of the intake of the valve in the compartment l9. Thus, only the measured amount of water, to-wit, that received by the valve chamber 34, will be discharged to the flash boiler for the generation of steam.

Compartment I9 may be closed by a hinged lid structure 4!]. Compartment I8 is provided with an outlet 4| terminating in a valve 42 by which said compartment [8 may be drained. I Compartment I9 is provided with an outlet 43 and v the conduit 44 terminates in a valve 45 by which the compartment [9 may be drained.

The boiler, as stated, discharges generated steam by way of conduit 23 which is connected toa T fitting 46, one outlet thereof being closed by plug 41, the latter constituting a drain. The otheroutlet is connected by the angular line 48 to a riser 49 terminating in a nozzle or tip 50 of any preferred or desired design.

A funnel supporting ring 5| is suitably secured to the main frame and braced thereon. The funnel 6! is peripherally supported by the ring 5! and has a central and lower opening 64 through which projects the riser 49 terminating in the spray nozzle 50. Positioned within the funnel is a can supporting structure 65. Drainage from. the can supported thereby is collected by the funnel structure GI and discharges to the collection can 10. This portion of the device thus briefly described is set forth more fully in the copending application of which this application is a division. The purpose of the cover 4:! is to permit the transfer of the cream can from. its inverted position shown to the left in Fig. l, to its side position shown to the right in Fig. 1, and thence back to the first position without the drippings from the can, either from the exterior or the interior, falling into the clean water compartment IS. The operation of the device is as follows: v

Clean water is supplied to compartments l8 and IS in any suitable manner. The heating device 39 is ignited and when the boiler has attained the proper heat, the water in the two compartments will also be heated. Then a cream can is inverted and is positioned on the support 65 with the nozzle inside the can. The valve 29 is then operated to supply a measured amount of water to the flash boiler which is immediately generated into steam and discharges through the nozzle 59 into the cream can and this steam is sprayed into the can and then the condensed steam together with what cream and butter fat which adheres to the can sides and bottom runs down and drains from the can into the conical drain 6! and thence collects in the can 10, shown dotted in Fig. 1, and positioned in registration with the opening 64 of said drain.

Following this operation, the can is removed from the support 65, placed in compartment i8 and rotated therein to wash the exterior and the interior of the can. The can is removed from the compartment l8 and may be positioned to one side until the cream from all of the cans has been removed and the cans have been cleansed, or if desired, the can immediately after washing may be returned to its inverted position upon the support 65, as shown in the upper left hand portion of Fig. 1, and then valve 29 is again operated to supply another injection of steam to the can and this injection of steam sterilizes the can.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description that all of the cream may be readily removed from the same and the cans may be expeditiously washed and sterilized. The valve structure is such that it is adapted to supply hot, clean water and in a measured amount to the flash boiler to generate steam.

Heretofore in devices of this general character, it has been the custom to supply cold water to the flash boiler which materially reduces the efficiency of the steam generation.

With the present invention, the supply of water for steam generation is of the gravity feed type and the supply of water is a measured amount, only that which may be trapped by the valve and transferred by the valve until it is discharged to the boiler. This invention has the advantage that the two compartments may be readily cleaned since they have semi-cylindrically shaped bottoms.

The angular arrangement 48 of the steam discharge connection to the riser and nozzle insures clearance for the cream can it that receives the fat and cream which drain from. the cans. After this operation, another can may be positioned beneath the opening 64 in the funnel and this can catches all the sterilizing condensate. The diameter of the opening 64 is sufiiciently large to permit the tilting of the conical drain or funnel for its subsequent separation from its support without interference from the riser 49.

While the invention has been set forth in great detail in the foregoing description and has been illustrated in similar detail, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. Various modifications of the present disclosure will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in. this art and such modifications are all considered to be within the broad scope of this invention, reference being had to the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. In a milk and cream can sterilizer the combination with a clean water chamber, a flash boiler therebeneath, a heater therebeneath, and shield means for preheating water in the chamber in the generation of steam in the boiler, of a connection between the chamber and boiler for supplying heated clean water from the chamber to the boiler, and valve means in said connection and having its intake above the bottom of chamber, said valve means including a casing having an intake and outlet, and a valve body therein with a constant volume chamber having means for alternate connection to the intake and outlet for the transfer of a fixed volume of water from the chamber to the boiler at each actuation of the valve.

2. In a milk and cream can sterilizer the combination with a clean water chamber, a flash boiler therebeneath, and shield means for preheating water in the chamber in the generation of steam in the boiler, of a connection between the chamber and boiler for supplying heated clean water from the chamber to the boiler, valve means in said connection and having its intake above the bottom of chamber, said valve means being included within the chamber, and rod means extending exteriorly thereof from the valve means for valve operation, said valve means including a casing having an intake and outlet, and a valve body therein with a constant volume chamber having means for alternate connection to the intake and outlet for the transfer of a fixed volume of Water from the chamber tothe boiler at each actuation of the valve.

FREDRICK W. COF'FING. 

